Put it Back!
One of the easiest, but most overlooked, organizing tip is a simple one – put it back!
How often do we take something out to use, but once we’re finished with it, we just set it down someplace? Then before long, there’s a lot of stuff piled here and there – all because we didn’t do one simple thing – put it back. Talk about being disorganized! And the pile grows and grows until we start to feel overwhelmed at the thought of trying to put it all up where it belongs.
If only we put it back when we were finished with it…
You’re here at Scatterbrain Solutions because you’re looking for solutions to help you manage your life, your time, your home, etc. We’ve got the help for you, but here’s the kicker – you’ve got to be willing to not just read this, you’ve got to be willing to take action. Reading is great, but action is where things get done.
With that thought in mind, here we go!
Solutions require action!
We wash the clothes. We dry the clothes. We might even manage to get them out of the dryer and into a laundry basket. We might even (gasp) fold them. Great! But then how long do they stay in a laundry basket, instead of putting them back where they belong? Have you woke up one day and decided it was time to actually put the clothes up, only to discover clothing you forgot you even owned because it has all been in the laundry basket for months? Wouldn’t it be easier to just put it back as soon as it’s ready to be put up?
We takes pots and pans out to cook with. We pull out dinner plates to eat off of. Instead of washing up as we go or when we’re done with a meal, we pile it in the sink or on the counter. This goes on meal after meal, until finally there are no dishes left to cook with or eat from. So we look at the huge pile of dishes and immediately feel that dred… hours of washing and cleaning ahead. Wouldn’t it be easier to just wash as we go or after the meal?
We look at the kids’ bedrooms. Toys and clothes are laying all over the floor, so much so that you literally cannot even see the floor. You stand there wondering to yourself how on earth it came to this. You make them start cleaning, knowing it will take them hours to get everything clean and put back where it belongs. Wouldn’t it have been easier if they had put it back when they were done with it?
Yes, these are pretty extreme situations, but actual ones that many people live with on a daily basis, and that’s just for starters – their disorganized lives and homes are much more than the above examples. And tthey don’t know what to do or where to start to get organized and stay organized.
So, rather than try to pound a load of organizing tips into you, we’re going to start slow and master one step at a time. And that main first step is THE most important one – put it back!
Do it – have your spouse do it – have the kids do it. Once you’re done with something, put it back where it belongs. Don’t sit it down, don’t shove it around, don’t put it off until later – get up and put it where it goes. This one simple thing will make a huge difference in your life and home!
Once this becomes a habit and normal again (it might take a few weeks!), you’ll notice what a difference it makes in keeping things organized.
{ 0 comments }
